BANGKOK: THE livelihood of millions of people in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will be affected as drought and newly-built dams impede the Mekong River’s flow, drying up segments of the once fast-flowing river. Observers predict that these two factors may lead to the death of the 4,700km waterway. At a discussion on the […]

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The government is holding a special meeting to establish common ground among state agencies about ways to ensure effective implementation of the national development plan for 2020. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith presided over the opening of the two-day open government meeting at the National Convention Centre, which is scheduled to end […]

A crisis is engulfing the Mekong River, its banks are collapsing and half a million people are at risk of losing their homes. The entire ecosystem of this South East Asian river is under threat, all because of the world’s insatiable demand for sand. Extracted from the bed of this giant river in Cambodia and […]

VIENTIANE, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) — Lao government officials are learning the numerous benefits of biogas during a course in capital Vientiane supported by China’s Ministry of Commerce. The opening ceremony of a biogas pit was held on Wednesday in Xaythany district, Lao capital Vientiane and chaired by Vice-chairman of the Laos-China Cooperation Commission under Lao […]

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – Vientiane authorities will begin stricter checks on electric tricycles and motorcycle sidecars in the capital with more illegally making their way onto the city’s streets. Head of the transportation management division under Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department, Mr Sivone Subthavy told Vientiane Times yesterday the department will soon cooperate with […]

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday officially kicked off its 14th meeting, aiming to review and approve a new working plan to cope with the changing global environment. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith presided over the official opening ceremony of the two day-meeting at the International Cooperation Training Centre […]

The German government will provide an additional $2.2 million to bolster cross-border water cooperation and environmental monitoring in the Mekong River Basin. A signing ceremony for the funding was held in the Lao capital of Vientiane Friday, its beneficiary, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) said. This extra funding has brought the German contribution to the […]

Vietnam has decided to import an additional 200 MW of electricity from Laos next year amid possible power shortages. The country’s decision comes amid concerns that it may suffer energy shortages from 2020. Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade estimated that the country would experience a shortage of 3.7 billion kWh in 2021, which will […]

Vietnam will import an additional 200 MW of electricity from Laos next year, taking the total to 1,200 MW. The government’s Standing Committee on promoting cooperation with Laos approved the increase at a meeting on Saturday. With the country expected to suffer from power shortages from 2020, the electricity import from Laos is expected to […]

For two decades or more, alarms have been sounding for the Mekong Delta. It is being hammered by climate change, by a proliferation of upstream dams, by unsustainable and inappropriate farming practices, by greed and political expediency. The punishment the Delta’s taking has been well reported, first in scholarly papers, then in specialized publications and […]